Dromore RP Church - Sermons

Coming towards the end of his letter, Paul reminds his readers of the two great priorities of the church: praying and proclaiming the gospel!

The great cry of our culture today is, "Follow your heart!" The truth of Scripture is, "Your heart is sinful". Instead, we ought to follow Christ our King. 1 Samuel 8 is a complex but tragic account of God's people foolishly following their heart - and God sovereignly over-ruling for good.

Paul outlines how our following of Christ, the Lordship of Christ, impacts every part of our lives, including our closest and most personal relationships:

1. Wives and Husbands

2. Children and Parents

3. Workers and Employers

Guest preacher: Rev. Robert M. McCollum (Lisburn RP Church).

Having tried to face their enemies in their own strength, and with man-centred worship, the Israelites are called together by Samuel at Mizpah. He reminds them that it is the LORD, the covenant God, who has given them every good thing until now. Humbling themselves before God, the people find that he is once again mighty to save!

Having described what a Christian must put off (3:5-11) Paul now describes 'the Christian's wardrobe': the things that ought to mark the lives of those in union with Christ.

The Philistines believed that, in conquering Israel in battle, they had somehow conquered the God of Israel too. They learn a painful lesson about not taking God too lightly. His measured judgments on them are a warning for all people to repent before his final judgment falls.

In the dark nights of autumn and winter, most of us long for more light! There is a spiritual longing for "light" - purpose, hope, transcendence - in all of us too. Here we consider how Jesus speaks to that longing.

1. The Darkness We Deserve

2. The Light We Can Receive

In a moment of crisis, the people of Israel make a mess of God's worship. They treat the Ark of the Covenant like a lucky charm and they rob God of his glory. We must guard against making their mistakes.

In the last main section of his letter Paul outlines what a Christian's life should - and should not - look like. All that he says arises out of our identity in Christ. When you know who you are, you know what to do!

The call of Samuel is a beloved Old Testament story - but it served a higher purpose. Through Samuel God was once again going to shine the light of his Word upon his people.

1. You have been Raised in Christ - So Look Up!

2. You have Died in Christ - So Look Away

3. You are Hidden in Christ - So Look Forward to the Big Reveal

"Worship is a serious business", someone has said. This is certainly demonstrated in the details of 1 Samuel 2, where God judges between worthless and real worshippers.

One hallmark of humanity is an inbuilt longing for connection, with one another, with a sense of importance/higher power. Yet, our world seems to be lonelier than ever. Here we consider how Jesus provides the most important connection possible.

The Book of Samuel begins with "a certain man" (1 Sam. 1:1) - but in fact, it is through a lowly woman, Hannah, and her prayers, that God begins to work for the good of His people.

1. Hannah's Problem

2. Hannah's Prayer

3. Hannah's Praise

One hallmark of humanity is an inbuilt longing for connection, with one another, with a sense of importance/higher power. Yet, our world seems to be lonelier than ever. Here we consider how Jesus provides the most important connection possible.

To a congregation tempted to believe that they need something more/other than Christ and his gospel, Paul wonderfully reassures them: you are filled with every blessing you could possibly need in your Lord Jesus!

Peter uses the same word in 1 Peter 4:19 as Luke used in Luke 23:46. Just as Jesus 'entrusted' himself to the Father at death, so Peter says we are to 'entrust' ourselves to God each and every day.

Why? Because, like Christ:

1. We Will Suffer

2. We Have a Sovereign God

3. We Have Good Work to Do

"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit" - the final words of Jesus reflect his complete control and perfect faith.

When God ushers in a new era in salvation history, he always makes it very clear. Two wondrous signs accompany the death of Jesus and the beginning of the gospel age.

Paul has written 35 verses of his letter before he tells his readers of something he wants them to DO. More important, as Christians, is who we KNOW. Rooted in Christ, our goal must to continue walking in the strength he gives.

1. A Pastor's Heart-Warming Love for Christ's Church (2:1-5)

2. A Pastor's First Priority for Christ's Church (2:6-7)

3. A Pastor's Heart-Felt Warning for Christ's Church (2:8-10)

God is Love - what a simple yet wonderful truth!

1. God's Love is Eternal

2. God's Love is Volitional

3. God Loves All People

4. God Loves His Own People

5. God's Love is Sacrificial

The Colossian Christians were having to discern true and false teaching of the gospel. Here Paul defends his ministry as one truly called to preach the truth about salvation. He describes marks of his ministry that will be true for any genuine gospel minister.

There is perhaps no less popular biblical truth today than that God is a God of wrath. Here we look more closely at what the Scripture says on this crucial subject:

1. God's Wrath is Real

2. God's Wrath is Required

3. God's Wrath Has Been Revealed

4. God's Wrath is Being Revealed

5. God's Wrath Will Be Revealed

6. God's Wrath Can Be Escaped

To be reconciled with God is to:

1. Realise Who We Were

2. Rest in What Christ Has Done

3. Remain - Not Shift - From Where We Are Now

1. God is All-Powerful - What does it Mean?

2 Where do we See it?

3 How Should we Respond to it?

Who is in first place in your life? The apostle Paul teaches the Colossians that no one deserves more pre-eminence in our lives than Jesus Christ.

Ours is an impatient world, and we are often very impatient people. What a contrast with God!

1. God's Patience is Misunderstood

2. The Purpose of God's Patience

3. The Limit of God's Patience

4. The Challenge of God's Patience

Sometimes, with the best of intentions, Christians hardly know what to pray. We can be unsure of our words, tired from service, burdened by a trial. Without ever having met the Colossians, however, Paul knew what to pray for them. We can use his prayer to pray for ourselves and one another.

It seems the more we know of our world, the less we understand it. We can quickly get information, but do we really know the world - or ourselves! - any better?

Here we consider the comforting, convicting truth that our God, truly, knows all things.

The apostle Paul had never been to the city of Colossae or met any of the believers there - but they already had the most important thing in common: the gospel of Jesus Christ!

As we resume our series thinking about who God is we consider a vital Christian truth: God is one in Being, Three in Person. The doctrine of the Trinity is not a contradiction, but it is a mystery. Nonetheless, it is a wonderful, vital truth for every believer to know.

Psalm 36 highlights a stark contrast between the wickedness of mankind and the steadfast love of the Lord. Lest we become overwhelmed by the former, we must rejoice in the latter!

The only constant in our world today seems to be change! From technology to international relations between nations to our own personal lives, everything seems to be busy blur of changes.

What a comfort it is, then, to learn about a God who does not and will not change!

Psalm 35 probably doesn't rank highly on our list of favourite psalms. There are even some lines in it that might cause us to question whether we should sing them! But rightly understood, this is a psalm praying for God to justly and fairly deliver his Chosen King from wicked enemies. It is, in fact, good news for the Christian that our God fights for us!

What humans need, more than anything, is to know the God who made us. In this series we begin by considering the fact that God is utterly separate and unique from anyone and anything else; in other words, he is holy.

The Mission of the Church is a relatively simple one, as Paul outlines in Romans 10:11-17. Here we consider:

1. The Simple Nature of the Mission

2. The Strategy for the Mission

3. The Scope of the Mission

Our long journey through Genesis comes to a close with the death of Joseph. But here, in this sad reminder of the impact of sin on the world, we have a great demonstration of faith, a reminder that God's good purposes will prevail.

Christ's work on earth is finished - but his work in heaven today is ongoing, and he will come again to this world one day for the work of judgement.

During our communion season we consider Jesus' sixth word from the cross:

1. A Servant's Tasks Finished

2. A Saviour's Suffering Finished

3. Satan Finished

In John 17:4 Jesus, whilst praying to the Father, utters words similar to those he will soon shout in victory from the cross. Here we consider what it meant for the Father to be glorified by the Son and for the Son to be glorified by the Father.